Author: Alaska Professional Design Council

ASCE section president Carl Uchytil was invited to a NOAA Hydrographic Survey Review Panel. As a result, the panel is asking for participation in a survey pertaining to 3D Nation (review summary here).   The 3D Nation Study has the potential to greatly improve the topographic and bathymetric data available to coastal engineers & surveyors working in Alaska.

Click on this link to complete the survey before September 28th.

The UAA College of Engineering Fall 2018 Career Fair will be from 9 am to 3 pm Wednesday, September 26 in the UAA Student Union. The fair provides an opportunity for employers to network with students and discuss potential employment opportunities and internships. Vendor attendance is free and parking fees covered by the College of Engineering. Deadline to register is Monday, September 24, by 12 noon. See the attached article for more details and contact information. UAA Career Fair

One of the APDC’s founding purposes is to advocate for the procurement of professional design services in accordance with Federal Law (Public Law 92-582, Section 902) and Alaska State Statutes (AS 36.30.770), commonly known as the Brooks Act and the Mini-Brooks Act, respectively. These laws require any Federal or State Agency soliciting professional design services to not consider cost but rather use Qualifications Based Selection (QBS) criteria.

QBS is the standard by which all Architecture, Engineering, and Land Surveying services are selected for project work. Unfortunately, QBS criteria is often supplemented with a lowest-cost scoring criteria or replaced entirely with cost-based selection.

APDC’s standard approach to combat QBS violation includes writing letters requesting the selection agency revise their process to exclude costs. In most cases, our letters are ignored or we are told that the offending agency is precluded from the law. Our legislators are sympathetic to our cause and support the QBS process, but they are often too busy with other issues to assist.

I would like to suggest a different approach. I challenge all firms that typically respond to these RFPs to take a stand for the professions of Architecture, Engineering and Land Surveying by not responding to RFPs that include cost as evaluation criterion. One of the paramount attributes of the design professional is ethical integrity. The law clearly states that QBS is the standard by which professional design services are to be selected, and thus responding to RFPs that include cost could be viewed as an ethical violation. If we as an industry all choose integrity and to not to respond to cost-based solicitations, procurement standards will be forced to change.

I encourage you to consider this active support of QBS and welcome your unique perspectives and feedback as professionals.

Carola Bollhardt, a workplace strategist with Swiss furniture company ‘Vitra,’ will be presenting a lecture on office concepts and designs as part of Design Week at the Anchorage Musem. Tickets are now available at the Museum’s Website.

Following the lecture, KPB will be hosting a reception at their offices, from 5:30 – 8:00 pm. RSVP at info@kpbarchitects.com.

The Alaska Chapter of ASID announces it’s biennial fundraiser – an event centered around the amazing eats Anchorage has to offer. The evening will be filled with networking, amazing food from local vendors, a silent auction, engaging games, and amazing prizes. Interested in sponsorship or donating an item to the silent auction? E-mail Natasha Schmidt, communications@ak.asid.org for more information.

Reserve your tickets now through Eventbrite here.